The Polk County Sheriff's Office said goodbye
to a faithful partner, friend, and companion - canine Ruger, a 7-year
veteran of the agency's K-9 Unit - when he was euthanized on February 6,
2004, due to inoperable cancer.

Ruger
was the agency's first Belgian Malinois breed of dog, purchased in June
1994 from Holland. Ruger was 3 years old when he began working here with
his handler/owner Deputy Sheriff Jim Bryan. Soon after training was
complete, Ruger was diagnosed with cataracts, and told he might not be
able to work as a canine in the Unit. D/S Bryan got Ruger the best
veterinary care he could, and Ruger proved everyone wrong by excelling
in the Unit for the next 6 years. In that span of time, Ruger saved his
partner's life from a suspect who threatened to shoot him, was run over
by a car and fully recovered, and logged more than 700 patrol
deployments.

D/S Bryan and Ruger were nationally
certified in both narcotics detection and apprehension. They also
consistently competed and won statewide and nationally in the U.S.
Police Canine Association K-9 Field Trials. In 2001, Ruger and Bryan
placed 20th in the state, and with 3 other canines and their handlers,
placed 2nd overall as a team. That same year, Ruger and Bryan placed
14th in the nation.

Ruger retired from the agency when D/S
Bryan was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2002. The last two years
of his life were spent with Bryan's family until February 6, 2004, when
he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and was laid to rest.